The invention relates to a system component for a knitting system such as, for example, a knitting machine needle, a selecting element, a sinker, a clutch element or the like.
Such systems are used in large numbers in knitting machines, for example, flat-bed knitting machines or circular knitting machines. These machines have beds, in which guide channels are arranged next to each other for the accommodation of the system components. Referring to flat-bed knitting machines, the guide channels are arranged parallel to each other in a flat bed. This is also true with respect to the knitting cylinders of a circular knitting machine. The bed may also be designed as a dial of a knitting machine or as a sinker ring of a circular knitting machine. In this case, the guide channels are arranged radially, so that adjacent guide channels together subtend an acute angle.
For cleaning of knitting machine needles and/or sinkers, it may be necessary to remove the system components from the machine, i.e., from their respective beds, to perform a cleaning process and then to replace them in their beds. Also, amending the pitch or spacing of the knitting tools of the knitting machine frequently involves the removal of system components, in which case the procedure is similar. The needles or other guide channels adjacent to other system components are aligned with respect to each other by the bed in which they are located. In addition, the system components are arranged in a specific sequence (order). This is of particular importance when different system components are arranged in the successive guide channels. For example, these components may be knitting machine needles with feet arranged in different positions. After the system components have been removed from their bed and are to be reinserted therein, they must be again brought into the desired alignment and into the desired order. If the system components are removed from their bed and mixed, this represents a time-consuming difficult procedure. In addition, system components that are not arranged in an order can be cleaned only with difficulty.
In particular referring to knitting or loop-forming machines, in which many system components are moved in a fully synchronized manner with respect to each other in that they are mounted, for example, to a bar, it has been known to rigidly connect the system components to one another. This has been disclosed by document DE 199 20 673 C2, DE 102 27 532 A1 or by DE 198 54 191 A1. In accordance with these literature references, plastic bodies are used to hold the sinkers or apertured needles in fixed alignment with respect to each other, said bodies being configured as rods or blocks that extend through the openings of the sinkers. Similarly, document U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,841 B2 discloses a module made of several sinkers, in which case the individual sinkers are held in fixed alignment with respect to each other by interposed plates.
Referring to these modules, the permanent fixation of the individual sinkers with respect to each other is of importance. A change of the pitch or an independent movement of the individual sinkers with respect to each other is not provided here.
Document DE-AS 1 103 233 discloses a package for needles of a Raschel machine. The package contains a soft substance into which the needles can be pressed.
Document DE 102 44 315 is based on a different approach. This document discloses transport packaging for compound needles and a correspondingly configured shipping unit. This transport packaging includes, for example, a bar having a U-shaped cross-section. The two legs of the U-shaped cross-section have slits that are arranged parallel to each other, said slits holding a knitting tool located therein by frictional engagement. The division of the slits of the bar can be adjusted to the division of the guide channels in a knitting cylinder, so that the knitting tools can be transferred easily from the transport bar to the knitting cylinder. However, specific aids for the transfer of needles from the knitting cylinder into the transport package are not provided.
Considering this, it is the object of the invention to improve handling of the system components for a knitting system.